Victory, Liverpool in talks over match

Melbourne Victory is in talks with English soccer giants Liverpool over a match later this year.

Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro said that Liverpool commercial executive, Sales Director Olly Dale, was in the crowd for the Victory-Sydney game as part of an evaluation, said Di Pietro, not to scout players, as had been reported

Lou Sticca, who has promoted Victory games against the likes of Celtic, is involved in the negotiations.

"We have come together and hopefully we can consecrate a major deal for something very special to take place this year", Di Pietro said at a pre-match function.

Afterwards Dale said that discussions were at an early stage and that to talk of a match having been sealed was premature. Liverpool considers a number of proposals in the offseason, he said.

Neverthless, the fact that Di Pietro spoke so openly in a public forum, and the involvement in the discussions of Lou Sticca, whose Tribal Football company has promoted a number of major games in Australia, suggests Victory is confident of clinching an agreement — perhaps at the MCG.

David Gallop, the CEO of the FFA, was in the crowd at the Victrory pre-game function and heard Di Pietro's speech.

The other English super club, Manchester United, is touring Australia in July when it will play in Sydney against an FFA All Star side.